When there's no time to daven... it's time to go 'home'

Here is an occasion where I just find it a bit difficult to feel sympathetic towards my Jewish brothers and sisters who have chosen to make their home in America.

An article on Israel National News entitled No Time for Prayer; Proposed Clock Change Upsets U.S. Jews reports on the outcry being raised by American Jews relating to the US Congress deciding to change when daylight savings time starts and ends.

The proposed changes would mean that sunrise would be around 8 a.m. "It would make it impossible for those in certain parts of the United States to pray Shacharis (morning prayers) before work," according to the Orthodox Union (OU).

Clearly, I am in favor of Jews being able to pray with a minyan at the proper time. I also believe in, as America is a democracy, the right of individuals and groups to lobby and advocate for legislation that is in their own best interest.

However, on a purely Jewish level, I don't feel any sympathy for what is happening in America. America is not a Jewish country, and America will do what is best for itself - sometimes hat might work in the best interests of her Jewish citizens and other times it won't. If a Jew is concerned with living in a country where his concerns as a Jew are to be considered (if not always respected) than it's time to come home - to Israel.

Of course, the cynics out there (as well as those who might be overly comfortable with their lives outside the Land of Israel) will raise the contention that today Israel does not seem to be overly concerned with acting as a Jewish State, and serving the needs of those who view it as such. To that I respond, that you are right and you are wrong. True, in Israel today, the Jewish People face many challenges, however, America will never, ever be a Jewish State, and it is not meant to be. The State of Israel is the State of the Jewish People, and if enough Jews who want Israel to truly be a Jewish State decide to personally take up the call to help bring about that change, it will happen - it's just a question of when.

Let's not forget that the State of Israel today has brought about the fulfillment of the pasuk: "Ki M'zion teizei Torah u'dvar Hashem m'Yerushalayim" - "From Zion Torah will come forth, and the word of Hashem from Jerusalem". Today, Israel is the center of world Jewry, and is the only Jewish community in the world that has a positive growth rate from one generation to the next. The future of the Jewish People (and the present) is here, in Israel.

To those who choose not to accept that fact, enjoy the 8am minyan.

http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com

- posted by Ze'ev @ 9:54 PM Permalink Home

Some Good Ole' American Pride in the Holyland

(From Point of Pinchas)

It's hard to believe but today marks three full weeks since I made Aliyah. And only now is it really starting to sink in that I'm here to stay. See I've always made an effort to visit Eretz Yisrael every year - sometimes even twice a year. But I would never stay for more than three weeks - usually a lot shorter. And for the first three weeks as an Oleh it could easily feel like you're an ordinary American tourist. Of course tourists don't run around town opening up bank accounts or health insurance plans. But none-the-less it felt oddly similar to past trips. Until last Shabbat that is, when I stayed by my cousins in Givat Shmuel. Well the bus from Yerushalyim travels right by Ben Gurion airport. And I looked at the airport and smiled because this time I knew that's not where I was headed - I am here to stay! (One of the gals here at the ulpan designed an Aliyah T-shirt that says "Here To Stay!" on the back.)

Since I've been a little bogged down getting my new life in order I haven't had too much time to blog (see my "Aliyah can be hazardous to your blog" post). So here's a quick update of how things are going.

The ulpan - Ulpan Etzion is amazing! It really is living up to its reputation so far. I have to say though - America, and New York especially, is woefully underrepresented here. Especially considering New York is the current temporary home to over a million Jews. If the ulpan here is any measure, it's a little embarrassing, per capita, how poorly we are doing with Aliyah compared with the rest of the world.

The population breakdown here goes something like this: It feels like half the ulpan speaks Spanish (coming from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and even Columbia among other countries most Americans have never heard of except for every once in a while when some star baseball player comes from one of them). And the other half speaks French (coming mostly from France, from Belgium and from parts of Canada.) There is also a surprisingly small contingent of Russian speakers. And as for those few of us that are native English speakers - lots come from England, Australia, South Africa, and Canada... along with some of us Americans. And as for us few Americans... we come from Los Angeles, Cleveland, Miami, New Jersey and even Upstate New York - but from the City itself (and by "City" I mean the five boroughs) there are just two (or three - long story and I'm not explaining) of us.

Now this actually does not come as a surprise. France in the 21st century is not the place for a Jew. "I hate the French. They are the worst!" one of my French dorm-mates told me. "Hey - you're preaching to the choir," I replied. And as for South America - I understand life there too is not a walk in the park. And so - not to take away any ideological reasons they may have had for making Aliyah - but by coming to Israel they are giving up a horrible life for one that is far better. This is of course also true of the Russian olim. (They talk about how horrible life was in Russia.) And I?ll even go as far as to say it holds true with the British as well. Anti-Semitisms is beginning to flare up all across Europe and the nations of the world are chasing us Home. I look around this Ulpan and that is what I see.

And so I'm going to hold my head up high now and say while us Americans (and Canadians) don't fill up one full side of the cafeteria like the French do - were not running from anything at all. G-d Bless America! Life for the Jew there couldn't be better. A strong case (that I believe is terribly flawed) is often made that life in America is better for the Jew than life in Israel. How many of my hermanos y hermanas, of my fr?res et soeurs, or of my ?????? ? ?????? can say they gave up and awesome job and basically luxuries most of the rest of the world can only imagine. (The guidance counselor here could not believe - in a good way - the job I gave up to make Aliyah!)

So you know what I say? When a million Jews come Home from the former Soviet Union it's a huge simcha. And when another million come from South America it's equally joyous! And when over half a million Jews come from France who can't celebrate the "Ingathering Of The Exiles" happening before our very eyes?!

But still, there are two ways to move a donkey with the stick or with the carrot. And when SEVEN Nefesh B'Nefesh planes full North Americans - that are living the "good life" go ahead and "throw it all away" to make Aliyah - not because we are being beaten by a stick but because we are chasing the carrot - that's something to sound the proverbial great Shofar about and announce to the world! I'm here because I WANT to be here. I'm here because I WANT to be Home!

The fourth of seven flights from North America just landed today.

Welcome Home!

- posted by Pinchas @ 3:01 PM Permalink Home

They Just Keep On Coming!!!

From Israel National News

Hundreds of North American and Ethiopian Jews Make Aliyah

In a simultaneous ingathering of exiles from two sides of the globe, two planes filled with new immigrants touched down in Israel Wednesday morning - one from America and one from Ethiopia.

The flight from the U.S. was the third of seven flights this year bringing immigrants from North America to the Jewish State. It was organized by the Nefesh b'Nefesh organization, which encourages Aliyah (immigration to Israel) by removing the financial and logistical obstacles facing North American Jews who dream of making the move.

Israel National Radio's Eli Stutz was on the scene to greet the new arrivals.

"I am here because I think it is so important to make Aliyah. If you are Jewish, Israel is the place to be," said Elana Wenner from Vancouver, Canada, who came to the airport with members of her summer program to welcome the new arrivals. "We need to be together here in Israel to be united, to be together and to make a difference in the world." Wenner says she is excited to make Aliyah herself in the coming years.

Chaim Moche of Montreal stepped off the plane with his family. "We have been here on many visits, we were seduced, and at a certain point we just could not leave," he said. "It is a little like getting married."

"We were planning on moving next year but we decided after our last visit, five weeks ago, to move now," said Peretz Rickett, who made Aliyah from Dallas, Texas. He and his family plan to settle in the Gush Etzion town of Alon Shvut.

Eighty new immigrants also arrived in Israel Wednesday from Ethiopia. They plan to settle in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevaseret Tzion, the northern town of Tzfat, and the coastal city of Ashkelon.

The 150 new immigrants from America will be settling in Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, Gush Etzion and the communities in the Benjamin Regional Council region of the Shomron, north of the capital.
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From Jerusalem Post

Israel is intensifying efforts to encourage Belgian Jews to immigrate.

Israeli Immigration and Absorption Ministry officials met with representatives of Belgium's 40,000 Jews last week to propose incentives that would draw the community to Israel.

"We believe that thought must be given not just to the big countries like France and the United States but to smaller ones as well, to try to persuade their Jews to immigrate," the ministry's director general, Mirela Gal, told the Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv on Sunday.

"We will soon ask our natural partner, the Jewish Agency, to expand its operations in Belgium." There has been an increasing number of anti-Semitic attacks by Belgium's Arab immigrant community.

- posted by Yishai @ 8:52 AM Permalink Home

You Gotta Have Faith! A Few Pictures from Morag in Gush Katif

The Jewish town of Morag is the southern-most community in the Gush Katif Block, and it is the most isolated. Surrounded on three sides by the Arab towns of Chan-Yunis and Rafiah, Morag has a reputation as frontier land even within Gush Katif. Since the announcement of Ariel Sharon's eviction plan, Morag has seen much blessing: new roads, new streetlights, a new kindergarten, and the arrival of new families.

Many of Morag's veteran families are preparing the second floors of their houses for the influx of residents. This community owes much of its existence to murdered Tourism Minister Rehavam (Gandhi) Ze'evi who fought for its expansion in the Knesset. The agricultural aspect of the community if reflected by the town's name: 'Morag' means 'threshing board,' the ancient tool used to separate out the outer shell of wheat kernels.

See more on Israel National News

- posted by Yishai @ 4:31 PM Permalink Home